Abstract

Herreid II, C.F., D.A. Prawel and R. J. Full. 1981. Energetics of running cockroaches. Science 212: 331-333.

Male cockroaches Gromphadorhina portentosa were. made to run at 0.03, 0.07, and 0.12 kilometer per hour on a miniature treadmill. Within a small respirometer. Oxygen consumption was directly related to running velocity. The half time necessary for oxygen consumption to reach a steady state during exercise was about 1 minute and the half-time for recovery was 4 to 6 minutes. The energetic cost of transport was comparable to that for bipedal and quadrupedal vertebrates.